Chapter Fourty Three

Chapter 43

"Marcus?" Jemima queried in disbelief crumpling to the chair in a pile of mess. She closed her eyes and opened them again, willing for it all to be a dream.

Jemima stood up again, unable to control her apprehension as she began pacing the room. It felt like she was seeing a ghost.

"What's going on?" Vanessa whispered, glancing from Jay to Alan as she anticipated a response.

"That's Marcus," Alan whispered in response, still causing Vanessa to squint in confusion. She did not know who Marcus was hence she did not understand the fuss around him.

"Who is Marcus?" Vanessa inquired but Dimitri shrugged as he was also ignorant of who Marcus was.

"Hello, Jem!" Marcus greeted, causing Jemima to glare at him.

"Hello, brother!" Jemima muttered the words so vehemently, her fury palpable in her tone. Marcus took a step closer to her. The rest of the crew watched on intently to witness the unfolding drama.

"It's been a long while," Marcus commented, causing Jemima to chuckle dryly.

"More like a decade and three years," Jemima retorted, glaring at him with unwavering intensity.

So many questions raced through her mind but Jemima decided to keep calm and tried not to react.

"Alan, I think Jon needs to rest," Jemima pointed out, ignoring Marcus and confusing the rest.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Dimitri voiced out, his voice piercing through the thick atmosphere.

“Oh, my apologies. Everyone this is Marcus Lucianus Valerian, my long-lost twin brother. Marcus, this is everyone! Now shall we get this party started, it’s my birthday after all!” Jemima said, glancing at everyone.
Marcus gave a small wave to everyone.

“Wasn’t he the Godfather just a few minutes ago?” Vanessa queried, her brows laced with confusion.

“Whatever questions you might have, tailor it to him. I need a drink and some fresh air,” Jemima mentioned, exiting the living room. She hadn’t been here before so she did not know which way she was going.

With minimal effort, she was able to locate the kitchen. She opened the cabinet and found a bottle of whiskey. Grabbing the bottle, she headed outside through the back door of the kitchen and made herself comfortable on the floor.

The sun had just finished setting and the moon was poking its head while the stars glimmered in the night sky. Jemima chugged the whiskey, swishing it in her mouth.

She gazed into the sky, watching as the stars twinkled in the night.

“Why is he back? He left! He didn’t want to be associated with me anymore!” Jemima whispered, taking a swig of the whiskey.

“Hey, Jem!” Alan greeted, joining her to sit on the floor. Jem acknowledged him by giving him a small smile but they sat in silence, each of them enjoying the tranquility of the cool night. The chirping of the crickets became distinct as it mixed with the rustle of the leaves on the trees in the distance.

“Happy birthday bear,” Alan wished, handing her a piece of her birthday cake. Jemima glanced at it, her smile unwavering. It was then it dawned on her that it was still her birthday and regardless of what had happened, she should be thankful to Alan for being so thoughtful.

“Thank you, Alan. You went all out to make this special for me and I just ruined it,” Jemima appreciated, collecting the cake from Alan’s hand. Alan gingerly wrapped his arm across Jemima’s shoulder and she leaned in, exhaling deeply.

“You didn’t ruin anything,” Alan reassured, tugging a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

“How long have you known Godfather was Marcus?” Jemima inquired, curiosity lacing the edge of her brows as she raised her head to look him in the eyes. She took a bite of her cake and subtly savored its chocolate and vanilla taste.

“A year now,” Alan answered truthfully, deftly avoiding her gaze.

“A year? And you didn’t think to tell me?” Hemings inquired incredulously, it was obvious that she was not outraged and only sought clarity.

“Godfather reached out to Dad and I. When he told us I wanted to tell you immediately but he said he’s still the godfather and this is a top-secret assignment and you know what happens when it’s a top-secret assignment,” Alan explained, prompting Jemima to nod her head in comprehension.

Any mission or assignment termed top secret by Godfather meant if you did flop, you get killed. Jemima inhaled sharply, swallowing all the information she gathered.

“I just wish I had known so I wouldn’t have been blindsided you know. And you nearly gave me a heart attack!” Jemima exclaimed, jokingly jabbing Alan in the chest which elicited a soft chuckle from him.

“I do apologize,” Alan muttered with a low rumble of laughter emitting from him. Comfortable silence engulfed them as Jemima munched on her cake.

“You should give him a listening ear though,” Alan voiced out, causing Jemima to gaze at him as she took a swig from her bottle.

“He left! He had his reasons for leaving, why should I give him a listening ear when he didn’t stop to think how it was going to affect me,” Janina lamented, causing Alan to roll his eyes and bury his head in his palms.

“That is what your parents had you believe. After everything they put you through, do you think that’s still true?” Alan quizzed, glancing skeptically at her. Jemima opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the entrance of Jay and Vanessa.

“Happy birthday once again Jem!” Vanessa greeted as she engulfed Jemima in a warm embrace. A smile displayed across Jemima’s face as she reciprocated the hug. Jay took his seat on the floor beside her. While Vanessa returned to the house.

Now, both Alan and Jay were sitting on either side of her. She closed her eyes as she tried to still the sea of emotions that churned within her.

“I should get going,” Alan murmured, grunting as he got up and excused himself. Jemima gazed up at him and listened to the sound of his feet as they clashed with the hardwood of the floor.

“Jemima, I am sorry for my previous actions and…” Jay began but was interrupted by Jemima’s question, “Why did you blame me for my kidnap back in Rome?”

The question caught Jay off guard as he did not know what to say. It was obvious that this question had been bugging Jemima for a long time.

“Everyone else was so concerned about you that they did not notice the beeping of the monitor had stopped. There was no longer a beat reading on the monitor and you could have died. I needed to get your heart rate to spike up again without alarming the rest of the team,” Jay revealed causing Jemima to gape in disbelief.

“What!” Jemima exclaimed, unable to hide her bewilderment.

“What if my brother hurt you because you deserved it too or to protect you?”

The voice of Lilith wafted through her head as she reminisced on the conversation that they had.
All this while, she thought Jay did it out of spite when in reality, he had just been looking out for her.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Jemima commented as her perception of Jay began to alter in the recent light of things.

“What was the point? You already hated me beyond human comprehension,” Jay stated with a nonchalant shrug. Jemima pursed her lips as she contemplated everything that had happened recently.

“Jem, I want to tell you something,” Jay announced, causing Jemima to exhale deeply. She took the last bit of drink she had left and gazed up at him.
Jemima’s eyes locked on Jay’s lip.

The tension in the air became palpable as Jay inches closer to her. He waited for her to pull away but she remained rooted, in place.

Jemima inhaled his scent and she didn’t know what intoxicated her more; the whiskey or his scent. The butterflies in Jemima’s stomach began to flutter, causing her to feel fuzzy and giddy on the inside.

They had been enemies for years, but tonight felt different, charged with an unspoken tension that hung between them like the heavy summer air.

Jemima glanced over at Jay, her heart fluttering as she caught him watching her with a soft intensity. His dark hair was tousled by the gentle breeze, and the way his black eyes sparkled in the fading moonlight made her breath hitch. She felt a warmth spreading through her, a mix of excitement and nervousness that she couldn’t quite place.

Jemima’s heart pounded in her chest as she searched his eyes, hoping to decipher what he wanted to ask. She saw it there—a mix of vulnerability and desire. Time seemed to stand still, the sounds of the park fading into a distant hum.

At that moment, Jay’s hand cupped her cheek, his thumb gently stroking her skin. He leaned in, his heart racing as he closed the gap between them. Their lips met softly at first, a tender exploration that sent sparks flying. Jemima melted into the kiss, her hands finding their way to his shoulders, drawing him closer.

As the kiss deepened, the world around them fell away completely. The coolness of the night wrapped around them like a blanket, and in that embrace, they found something they had both longed for—a connection that felt both exhilarating and safe. The gentle kiss became feral, both of them wanting something more as Jemima dug her nails In Jay’s hair, while Jay pulled her closer.

“Am I interrupting?”